Wu Zetian (624-705) was 81 years old, from Wenshui, Bingzhou (now east of Wenshui, Shanxi), Empress Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, later changed the country's name to Wuzhou and established the capital of Luoyang. He reigned from 690-705. His name was Zhao (zh-; o, the pronunciation of "Zhao"). He was clever and intelligent in nature, and had many power and skills.

Wu Zetian, a name with a very historical charm, is a historical figure who looks like a legend but not a legend. She is the second daughter of the founding hero of the Tang Dynasty, the young concubine of Li Shimin (called "Talent Ren"), the youngest concubine of Emperor Taizong of Tang (called "Talent Ren"), and the empress of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. After assisting Emperor Gaozong in handling military and national affairs for 30 years, she personally ascended the throne, called herself the Holy Emperor, abolished Tang Zuo, changed the country's name to Zhou, and became the only queen in Chinese history. From her participation in government affairs, proclaiming herself the emperor, and moving to Shangyang Palace to be sick, she ruled for nearly half a century, inheriting the "Zhenguan rule" and the "Kaiyuan prosperous era". His historical achievements were obvious to the world. As Song Qingling's sincere evaluation of her: Wu Zetian was an "outstanding female politician in the feudal era."

Wu Zetian, whose real name was Wu Zhao, was changed to Wu Zhao after becoming emperor. She was born in the first month of the seventh year of Wude (624) of Emperor Gaozu of Tang Dynasty and died in November of the first year of Shenlong (705) of Zhongzong. Her biological mother was the successor of Wu Shiyao, the grand gentry of Longyou, the daughter of Yang Dada, the prime minister of the Sui Dynasty, and the Duke of Suining.

Wu Zetian was born in a family of upstarts and prominent officials in the early Tang Dynasty. Her prominent power and luxurious life nurtured her infinite desire for power. However, the popularity of the aristocratic family was prevalent in the early Tang Dynasty, and the family and low origin of the Wu family made her suffer from the contempt of the common people and were unwilling to be buried. This special situation and experience strongly stimulated Wu Zetian in her youth, cultivated her arrogantly chasing and seizing the highest power, and her mentality of revenging everything with coldness and use of means. This was particularly prominent in her later political struggles in politics and even "called lonely in the south", and became her cultivation of mixed merits and demerits throughout her life. Morality, character and psychological roots.

Zetian was smart and intelligent since childhood, very good at expressing himself, and was extremely courageous. Her father deeply felt that she was able to create talents, so he taught her to read and read, making her understand the worldly principles. According to historical records, Zetian was already well-read, well-informed, well-informed, and had laid a certain foundation for poetry, songs and essays. He was good at calligraphy and his calligraphy was outstanding.

In the 11th year of Zhenguan (637), 14-year-old Zetian was selected into the palace for her handsome appearance. After entering the palace, Zetian was capable and understanding, and was favored by Taizong. After being named "Talented Man", he was awarded the title of "Mei Niang". After a long time, Taizong also discovered that Zetian was knowledgeable and understood etiquette, so he transferred her from the ranks of attendants and dressed in the imperial study to serve Wenmo. This incident led Wu Zetian to contact royal documents, learned about some important palace affairs, and could read many difficult books and scripts that were difficult to see. Her vision suddenly became broader and she became more and more familiar with official politics and power techniques.

In the 23rd year of Zhenguan (649), Emperor Taizong died, and Zetian and all the concubines sent Chang'an Ganye Temple to cut their hair into nuns. After Li Zhi, the ninth son of Emperor Taizong, ascended the throne, he was very interested in her because he had secretly communicated with Zetian and was very interested in her, so he often visited Ganye Temple. Two or three years later, and re-summoned Zetian to become an official and promoted it to "Zhaoyi". In the sixth year of Yonghui (655), Wu Zetian, who was favored by Emperor Gaozong, was sure to win the struggle in the inner palace and urged Gaozong to make himself the queen. However, in feudal society, the destruction and establishment of the empress was a major event of the country and must be honored.

The ministers agreed that when Emperor Gaozong explained the plan to depose the empress Wang and make Zetian the queen to be the queen, he immediately encountered strong opposition. They believed that the Wu family was humble and not suitable to be the queen. However, Emperor Gaozong's proposal was also supported by Wu Zetian's accomplice Xu Jingzhong, Li Yifu and Li Ji and other important officials in the court. With their help, Emperor Gaozong finally issued a decree in October of that year to depose the empress Wang and formally enthrone Zetian as the queen. Since then, all the power of the royal inner palace has fallen into the hands of the Wu family.

After Zetian ascended the throne of the queen, she was smart and smart, and her strengths of "proficient in literature and history, and more power and scheming" were greatly utilized and developed, so that Emperor Gaozong would like to favor her and look at her without looking at her. She also used the queen's identity and the emperor's favor to herself, actively participated in the government affairs, "a hundred officials reported on the affairs of the time and orders to be decided." In the five years from the sixth year of Yonghui (655) to the fourth year of Xianqing (659), she tried to eliminate political enemies, demoted the right servant of the Shangshu Shu Suiliang, and made her depressed and died of depression; dismissed Changsun Wuji, the subordinate of the Secretariat, and forced him to hang himself; dismissed Zhu Suiliang and Changsun Yuanji's supporters in the court consolidated and expanded her influence and power, and cleared the obstacles on her path to political participation.

In the fifth year of Xianqing (660), Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi was afraid that the phoenix was dizzy and could not see it, so he issued an edict to entrust Empress Wu to assist in political affairs. Since then, Zetian participated in politics and went to power, "the promotion, demotion, life and death are determined by his mouth, and the emperor gave in." Although the man was behind the scenes, he controlled the real power of the court. Later, Emperor Gaozong regretted and planned to take back the power, and secretly ordered the Minister of the Secretariat Shangguan Yi to abolish the queen. But he knew that the situation was not secret and "the plan was not successful". Empress Wu was cruel and took the initiative to make Shangguan Yi the first to be executed. Emperor Gaozong's actions failed, which made Empress Wu more alert.

Because Empress Zetian Wu had rules and regulations in handling government affairs, it was not like Emperor Gaozong was too ruling for a long time, and was very respected by his ministers. Although Emperor Gaozong was disgusted with his own actions and decisions, many major national affairs had to rely on her. In this way, Empress Wu gradually moved from behind the scenes to the front, and even went to the Zichen Hall with Emperor Gaozong to accept worship together with his ministers. In the first year of Shangyuan (674), Emperor Gaozong called Emperor Emperor and Empress Emperor Tianhou, and the people in the world called him the "Two Saints". Since then, Emperor Gaozong was useless, and the power of the Tang Dynasty was under the control of Empress Zetian.

From the first year of Shangyuan (674), Zetian began to rule as the "Empress of Heaven". During the 16 years when he officially became emperor in the first year of Tianshu (690), the Wu family made a lot of long-term preparations to become the emperor and took a variety of powerful and effective measures. First, in terms of inheriting the throne, Emperor Gaozong wanted to abdicate his eldest son Li Hong. Empress Wu did not care about the mother-son relationship, poisoned Li Hong to death and made his second son Li Xian the crown prince. Li Xian was commissioned by Emperor Gaozong.
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